Watch winding mechanism.



F. L. FRENCH WATCH WINDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31, 1913.

Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAFH KID-,WASH

UNITED STATES; PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK L. FRENCH, OF MERIDEN, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

WATCH WINDING MECHANISM.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK L. FRENCH, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Meriden, Sullivan county, New Hampshire, have made a certain new and useful Invention Relating Especially to WVatch Winding Mechanism, of which the following is a specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, which forms part of the same.

This invention relates especially to ratchet mechanism for winding watches, clocks or other escapements by which if desired the watch spring for example may be wound up when the winding stem is turned in either direction. Rotating click wheels are also employed which may be used in this or other ways to cooperate with rotating ratchet wheels and secure a smoother and more certain holding action and considerably minimize backlash.

In the accompanying drawing showing in a somewhat diagrammatic way several illustrative embodiments of this invention, Figure 1 is an elevation of one form of winding mechanism. Fig. 2 is a partial transverse section thereof taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation of another form of mechanism; and Fig. 4c is a'similar view showing another position thereof.

In the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2 which is especially adapted for use in watches and small clocks, the winding stem 2 may be provided with the usual crown 1 for engage ment with the fingers and be connected in any desired way with the main wheel. The main wheel may be geared in any desired way with the spring ratchet wheel 24 connected to the spring to be wound as through the spring arbor 23 and the connection be tween these two wheels may comprise several trains of gearing of any kind preferably making possible a winding movement of this wheel through one train of gearing when the winding stem is operated in one direction and also a winding movement in the same direction through another train of gearing when the winding stem is turned in the reverse direction. This gearing also preferably comprises click wheels or devices which may be automatically or positively released to allow the desired winding movement to take place and prevent undesirable backward movement of the parts. This gearing may if desired comprise the direct winding Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 31, 1913.

. main wheel.

rotating click wheel 7 provided with any Patented Mar. 1'7, 1914:.

Serial No. 770,900.

movable mounting, such for example, as the direct carrier arm 6 which may swing about the bearing screw 16 concentric with the This click wheel is thus held in mesh with the main wheel during its movement and is normally yieldingly pressed by any desired means into mesh with the spring ratchet wheel 24. This interposed gearmg may also if desired comprise a reverse idler wheel 10 held in mesh with the spring ratchet wheel 24: by its bearing screw or plvot 11 and permanently meshing with the reverse winding rotating click wheel 9 which may be mounted in any suitable movable bearing such as the pin 19 in the reverse carrier arm 18 which as indicated swings about the bearing screw 11. A suitable form of bearing for the idler Wheel, and especially for the main wheel, is shown in Fig. 2 as comprising a retainer sleeve 12 held against rotation by any desired means such as the holding pin 42 engaging this sleeve and the adjacentplate 17 while the flange 13 On this sleeve engagesa corresponding sized recess in the adjacent wheel 10 so as to maintain it in substantial axial alinemcnt. The bearing screw 11 is provided with a threaded end 16 to engage the plate 17 and with a body 14 adapted to enter the retainer sleeve while the enlarged shoulder 15 beyond can tightly grip this sleeve and clamp it in position while at the same time serving as a bearing for the carrier arm 18 held loosely in position by the head 11 of this bearing screw and also preferably held somewhat out of engagement with the face of the wheel 10 by the projecting retainer sleeve. The reverse carrier arm and reverse winding click wheel 9 may be normally held in cooperation with the main wheel in any desired way as by the use of any suitable spring device and it is desirable to have a common click spring such as the spiral spring 21 simultaneously acting on the two carrier arms as by engaging the pins 20, 22 therein so as to yieldingly hold the connected click wheels in engagement with their cooperating ratchet wheels.

The winding stem may be given a reverse rotary movement by the thumb and finger engaging the crown 1 in the usual way and when in direct winding the crown and connected stem are moved in the direction of the full line arrow, the main wheel is retated left handedly as indicated by the full line arrow so as to turn the meshing reverse winding click wheel 9 and idler wheel 10, as indicated by the full line arrows thereon, so that the spring ratchet wheel 24 is turned in a right handed direction as correspondingly indicated. The direct winding click wheel 7 also tends under these condi tions to turn in a right handed direction as indicated by the full line arrow in connection with this wheel, but this movement is of course prevented so long as this click wheel remains in mesh with the spring ratchet wheel The turning moment exerted when this rotation of the direct winding click wheel is prevented is thereupon transmitted to the connected direct carrier arm 6 so that this carrier arm is thereby swung outward as indicated by the full line arrow against the normal holding action of the click spring. Under these conditions the teeth of this rotating click wheel come out of mesh with the teeth of the spring ratchet wheel which is also rotating during this turning movement. As soon as this movement is stopped the click wheel is at once drawn back into mesh and acts as a positive detent preventing reverse movement especially since its holding action becomes stronger in proportion to the tendency of the spring ratchet wheel to backward movement. This click wheel is rotating in the opposite direction to the ratchet wheel with which it cooperates so that the teeth of these wheels come into exact mesh twice as often as if the ratchet wheel was held against rotation. In this way a much finer and more constant ratchet or holding action is secured and backlash and jarring of the gearing correspondingly minimized when the winding stem and crown are released or turned in the opposite direction.

lVhen the winding stem is being turned in the opposite direction shown by the dotted arrow in connection with its crown 1, the main wheel is then rotated in a right handed direction as shown by the dotted arrow and the direct winding click wheel 7 meshing therewith is thereby rotated so as to rotate the spring ratchet wheel 24 in a right handed direct-ion as shown by the dotted line arrows in connection with these parts. Under these conditions the ratchet wheel rotates the meshing reverse idler wheel 10 and thereby rotates the reverse winding click wheel 9 in a right handed direction as shown by the dotted line arrow thereon, so that this click wheel rotates in a direction opposite to that in which it tends to be rotated be cause of its being in mesh with the main wheel. The turning moment exerted for this reason on the reverse carrier 18 swings this arm in the direction of the dotted arrow so as to swing the reverse winding rotating click wheel 9 out of mesh with the main wheel and allow the movement thereof as long as this reverse winding continues. In

this way one of these rotating click wheels is automatically released from engagement with its cooperating ratchet wheel by the turning moment acting on its carrier arm during the winding movement of the stem in one direction so that a winding movement is imparted to the spring ratchet wheel and to the spring, weight or other device connected therewith by both a direct rotation and a reverse rotation of the winding stem. In order to permit the spring tobe readily let down or unwound any desired means may be provided, suchas the projection or brake knob S on the carrier arm 6 to manually draw one of these click wheels out of engagement with its ratchet which allows the rotation of the winding stem and crown in one direction. And it is also desirable under these conditions to regulate this unwinding movement which can be readily done by frictionally retarding some of these wheels as by simultaneously pressing the brake knob 8 inward when drawing the click wheel away from the ratchet wheel so as to create the desired amount of friction between this click wheel and the plate below and also between the click wheel and the carrier arm.

Another form of winding mechanism is shown in Fig. 3 in which the winding stem 2 is provided with. a crown 1 and with a releasing clutch 27 splined to the winding stem in the usual way and normally pressed by the clutch spring 28 into engagement with the corresponding clutch 26 on the stem gear 25. This gear 25 meshes with the main wheel 29 turning on the bearing screw or member 30 and rotates the meshing spring ratchet wheel 32 on the bearing pin 31, and this winding or ratchet wheel 32 may be connected in any desired way bv gearing or otherwise with the spring or other device to be wound. The cooperating click device may as shown in this instance comprise a click idler wheel 83 held in mesh by its pivot screw 35 with the ratchet wheel 32 while a rotating click wheel 36 having any desired number of teeth, preferably twelve or more, is rotatably mounted in the swinging carrier arm 37 which allows its movement about the pivot of the click idler wheel. In this way this click wheel is held in mesh with the click idler wheel and is also normally pressed as by the click spring 38 into mesh with the spring or ratchet wheel 32 so as to prevent backward movement thereof when in the position shown in Fig. 4. lVhen, however, the winding stem is rotated in such direction as to impart the desired winding movement to the spring wheel 32 the click wheel 36 is then rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow so that its teeth tend to move in the opposite direction to the meshing or adjacent teeth of the ratchet wheel which automatically swings this click wheel and its carrier arm outward to the extent shown in Fig. 4, so that this click wheel is released as long as forward winding movement continues because of the turning moment thus exerted on the carrier arm. The rotation of the click wheel doubles the number of times which its teeth come into exact mesh with the teeth of the rotating ratchet wheel so as to correspondingly increase the smoothness and security of this holding action.

This invention has been described in connection with a number of illustrative embodinients, forms, proportions, parts and arrangements, to the details of which disclosure the invention is not of course to be limited, since what is claimed as new and what is desired to be secured by Letters-Pan cnt is set forth in the appended claims.

Claims:

1. In winding mechanism for watches, etc., a winding stem and connected main wheel, a swinging direct carrier arm mounted to swing about said main wheel, a direct winding rotating click wheel pivoted in said carrier arm and meshing with said main wheel, a spring ratchet wheel connected to the spring to be wound, a reverse idler wheel meshing with said ratchet wheel, a reverse carrier arm mounted to swing about the axis of said idler wheel, a reverse winding rotating click wheel mounted on said reverse car rier arm and meshing with said idler wheel and a click spring acting between said carrier arms to normally hold said direct winding click wheel in mesh with said spring" ratchet wheel to prevent undesirable movement thereof and allow the turning moment acting on the direct carrier arm during the direct winding, to swing said rotating direct winding click wheel out of mesh with said spring ratchet wheel and to normally hold said reverse winding click wheel in mesh with said main wheel and allow the turning moment acting on said reverse carrier arm during reverse winding movement to swing said winding click wheel out of mesh with said main wheel.

2. In winding mechanism for watches, etc., a winding stem and connected main wheel, a swinging direct carrier arm mounted to swing about said main wheel, a direct winding rotating click wheel pivoted in said carrier arm and meshing with said main wheel, a spring ratchet wheel connected to the spring to be wound, a reverse idler wheel meshing with said ratchet wheel, a reverse carrier arm mounted to swing about the axis of .said idler wheel, a reverse winding rotating click wheel on said reverse carrier arm and meshing with said idler wheel and means to normally hold said direct winding click wheel in mesh with said spring ratchet wheel to prevent undesirable movement thereof and to allow said rotating direct winding click wheel to swing out of mesh with said spring ratchet wheel during direct winding movement, and to normally hold said reverse winding click wheel in mesh with said main wheel and to allow said reverse winding click wheel to swing out of mesh with said main wheel during reverse winding movement.

3. In winding mechanism for watches, etc., a winding stem and connected main wheel, a swinging direct carrier arm, a retainer sleeve on which said main wheel is mounted and by which it is held in substantial axial alinement, means to prevent rotation of said sleeve, a bearing member entering said sleeve and revolubly supporting said direct carrier arm so as to swing about said main wheel, a direct winding rotating click wheel pivoted in said carrier arm and meshing with said main wheel, a spring ratchet wheel connected to the spring to be wound, a reverse idler wheel meshing with said ratchet wheel, a reverse carrier arm mounted to swing about the axis of said idler wheel, a reverse winding rotating click wheel mounted on said reverse carrier arm and meshing with said idler wheel, and means acting on said carrier arms to normally hold said direct winding click wheel in mesh with said spring ratchet wheel to prevent undesirable movement thereof and to allow said rotating direct winding click wheel to swing out of mesh with said spring ratchet wheel during direct winding movement, and to normally hold said reverse winding click wheel in mesh with said main wheel and to allow said reverse winding click wheel to swing out of mesh with said main wheel during reverse winding movement.

4. In winding mechanism for watches, etc., a winding stem and connected main wheel, a spring ratchet wheel adapted to be connected to the spring to be wound and Hearing between said main wheel and said spring ratchet wheel comprising rotating click wheels and swinging carrier arms in which said'click wheels are mounted and held in mesh with a wheel rotating during the winding movement and spring devices normally swinging said click wheels into mesh with another wheel to prevent backward movement thereof while permitting the automatic release of one of said click wheels by the turning moment acting on its carrier arm during winding movement of said winding stem in one direction to impart a winding movement to said spring ratchet wheel by both a direct and reverse rotation of said winding stem.

5. In winding mechanism for watches, etc., a winding stem and connected main wheel, a spring ratchet wheel adapted to be connected to the spring to be wound and gearing between said main wheel and said spring ratchet wheel comprising rotating click wheels and swinging carrier arms in which said click wheels are mounted and held in mesh with a wheel rotating during the winding movement and means normally swinging said click wheels into mesh with another wheel to prevent backward movement thereof while effecting the release of one of said click wheels during winding movement of said winding stem in one direction to impart a winding movement to said spring ratchet wheel by both a direct and reverse rotation of said winding stem.

6. In winding mechanism for watches,

etc. a winding stem and connected main :wheel,

a ratchet wheel adapted to be connected to the device to be wound and gearing between said main wheel and said ratchet wheel comprising rotating click wheels and swinging carrier arms in which said click wheels are mounted and held in mesh with a wheel rotating during the winding movement and means normally swinging said click wheels into mesh with another wheel to prevent backward movement thereof while effecting the release of one of said click wheels during winding movement of said winding stem in one direction to impart a winding movement to said ratchet wheel by both a direct and reverse rotation of said winding stem.

7. In winding mechanism for watches, etc., a winding stem and connected main wheel, a ratchet wheel adapted to be con nected to the device to be wound and gearing between said main Wheel and said ratchet wheel comprising rotating click wheels and movable mounted means by which each of said click wheels are mounted and held in mesh with a wheel rotating during the winding movement and spring means normally holding each of said click wheels in mesh with another wheel to prevent backward movement thereof while permitting the automatic release of one of said click wheels by the turning moment acting on its mounting means during winding of said stem in one direction to impart a winding movement to said ratchet wheel by both a direct and reverse rotation of said winding stem.

8. I11 winding mechanism for watches, etc., a winding stem and connected main wheel, a ratchet wheel adapted to be connected to the device to be wound and gearing between said main wheel and said ratchet wheel comprising rotating click wheels and movable mounting means by which each of said click wheels are mounted and held in mesh with a wheel rotating during the winding movement and means normally holding each of said click wheels in mesh with another wheel to prevent backward movement thereof while permitting the release of one of said click wheels during winding movement of said stem in one direction to impart a winding movement to said ratchet wheel by both a direct and reverse rotation of said winding stem.

9. In winding mechanism for watches, etc., a winding stem and connected main wheel, a ratchet wheel adapted to be connected to the device to be wound and gearing between said main wheel and said ratchet wheel comprising a plurality of rotating click devices each held in mesh with a rotating wheel during its winding movement to prevent undesirable backward movement thereof and means effecting the selective automatic release of one of said click devices during winding movement of said stem in each direction to impart a winding movement to said ratchet wheel by both a direct and reverse rotation of said winding stem.

10. In winding mechanism for watches, etc., a winding stem and connected main wheel, a ratchet wheel adapted to be con nected to the device to be wound and gearing between said main wheel and said ratchet wheel comprising click devices to prevent undesirable backward movement and means effecting the selective automatic release of said click devices during winding movement of said stem in each direction to impart a winding movement to said ratchet wheel by both a direct and reverse rotation of said winding stem.

11. In winding mechanism for watches, etc., a winding stem and connected main wheel, a spring ratchet wheel connected to the spring to be wound and geared to be rotated from said main wheel and a click device comprising a rotating click wheel, a carrier arm in which said click wheel is revo-lubly mounted. and held in mesh with a wheel rotating during the winding movement, a spring normally holding said click wheel in mesh with a ratchet wheel rotating during the winding movement to prevent undesirable movement thereof, said rotating click wheel being automatically swung out of mesh with its cooperating ratchet wheel when the desired winding movement occurs and means to manually draw said click wheel out of mesh with its ratchet wheel and to simultaneously regulate the rotation of one of said wheels to allow the unwinding of said spring.

12. In winding mechanism for watches, etc., a winding stem and connected main wheel, a ratchet wheel connected to the device to be wound and geared to be rotated from said main wheel and a click device comprising a rotating click wheel, a carrier arm in which said click wheel is revolubly mounted and held in mesh with a wheel rotating during the winding movement, a spring normally holding said click wheel in mesh with a ratchet wheel rotating during the winding movement to prevent undesirable movement thereof, said rotating click wheel being swung out of mesh with its cooperating ratchet wheel when the desired from said main wheel and a click devicecomprising a rotating click wheel, means by which said click wheel is revolubly mounted and held in mesh with a wheel rotating during the winding movement, yielding means normally holding said click wheel in mesh with a ratchet wheel rotating during the winding movement to prevent undesirable movement thereof, said rotating click wheel being swung out of mesh with its cooperating ratchet wheel when the desired winding movement occurs and means to manually draw said click wheel out of mesh with its ratchet wheel and to regulate the rotation of one of said wheels to allow the unwinding of said spring.

14. In winding mechanism for watches, etc., a winding stem, and connected main wheel, a ratchet wheel connected to the device to be wound and adapted to be rotated from said main wheel and a click device comprising a rotating click wheel, means by which said click wheel is revolubly mounted and held in mesh with a wheel rotating during the winding movement, yielding means normally holding said click wheel in mesh with a ratchet wheel rotating during the winding movement to prevent undesirable movement thereof, said rotating click wheel being swung out of mesh with its cooperating ratchet wheel when the desired winding movement occurs and means to draw said click wheel out of mesh with its ratchet wheel.

15. In winding mechanism for watches, etc., a winding stem and connected main wheel, a spring ratchet wheel connected to the spring to be wound and geared to be rotated from said main wheel and a click de vice comprising a rotating click wheel, a carrier arm in which said click wheel is revolubly mounted and held in mesh with a wheel rotating during the winding movement and a spring normally holding said click wheel in mesh with said ratchet wheel to prevent undesirable movement thereof, said rotating click wheel being automatically swung out of mesh with its cooperating wheel when the desired winding movement occurs.

16. The winding mechanism for watches, etc, comprising a winding stem and connected wheel, a ratchet wheel adapted to be rotated from said wheel and connected to the device to be wound and a click device comprising a rotating click wheel, a carrier in which said click wheel is movably mounted and held in mesh with a wheel rotating during the winding movement and a spring normally holding said click wheel in mesh with a ratchet wheel to prevent undesirable movement thereof, said rotating click wheel being automatically moved out of mesh with its cooperating ratchet wheel when the desired winding movement occurs.

17 The winding mechanism for watches, etc, comprising a winding stem and connected wheel, a ratchet wheel adapted to be rotated from said wheel and connected to the device to be wound and a click device comprising a rotating click wheel, means by which said click wheel is revolubly mounted and held in mesh with a wheel rotating during the winding movement and yielding means normally holding said click wheel in mesh with a ratchet wheel to prevent undesirable movement thereof, said rotating click wheel being swung out of mesh with its cooperating ratchet wheel when the desired winding movement occurs, the teeth of said click wheel and of its cooperating ratchet wheel being adapted to come into mesh twice for each tooth movement of said ratchet wheel during such winding movement.

FRANK L. FRENCH.

Witnesses I'IARRY L. DUNCAN, Jnssm B. KAY.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

